Benin Welcomes Ciara With Citizenship Honoring Her Ancestral Roots

U.S. singer Ciara has become one of the initial public figures to obtain citizenship in Benin, following a recent legislative initiative aimed at granting citizenship to descendants of enslaved individuals. The Grammy-winning artist received her citizenship during a ceremony on Saturday in Cotonou, emblematic of Benin’s broader strategy to engage the Black diaspora, acknowledge its historical ties to the transatlantic slave trade, and enhance tourism focused on slavery-related memorial sites. Justice Minister Yvon Détchénou remarked, "By legally recognizing these children of Africa, Benin is healing a historical wound." The Afro-descendant citizenship law, implemented in September, permits those over 18 who can provide lineage proof related to the slave trade to apply. In parallel, the government established My Afro Origins, an online platform for processing applications. Benin's commitment to acknowledging its past is significant, leveraging "memorial tourism" at sites like Ouidah to foster a deep connection to ancestral histories, as exemplified by Ciara's recent visit. (Image Credits: Wikipedia Commons)